Easy Focaccia Recipe for the Mom Who Can’t Bake

If you’re looking for an easy focaccia recipe for the mom who can’t bake, this foolproof one will surprise you (and your whole family). This recipe takes just minutes to prep and delivers golden, fluffy results with zero stress and no fancy equipment needed.

Why you will love this focaccia bread recipe

• It is sweetened with honey instead of sugar
• It takes just minutes to prep. All the hard work is done while it’s resting and rising for an hour and a half
• It can be customizable with different toppings, spices and herbs
• It’s thick enough to slice through the middle and turn it into sandwich bread
• You will impress yourself, even if you think you don’t have what it takes to bake

How to make focaccia bread

Scouring the internet, I found recipes that called for the dough to rise over 3 days in the fridge. Who has time for that when you’re running a busy household? I’m sure those recipes come out fluffier and even more airy, but this recipe I’m sharing here is up to my standards and I was nibbling on it the same day 🙂

Ingredients you will need

1 packet (0.25oz) of instant dry yeast. I used the quick rising yeast from Fleischmann’s

Warm water (110°F). Use a thermometer to be sure

2 tsp raw honey

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for your work surface

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tsp sea salt, plus coarse salt for garnish

2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

Equipment you will need

1 large glass mixing bowl

Digital cooking thermometer

Measuring cups and spoons

Tea towel

Spatula

Pie plate or 1/2 size baking sheet (13×9)

The method

Warm the water up to 110°F in a glass bowl, and stir in the honey. Open the packet of instant dry yeast and sprinkle it in, giving it one quick stir to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes for the yeast to activate

Stir in the flour, olive oil, and salt with a spatula. Once a dough ball starts to form, transfer the dough to the counter top, first sprinkled with some flour, and knead the dough with your hands for a few minutes until the ingredients are combined and the dough stays together in a smooth ball. Add some olive oil to the bowl you started with and rub it around to coat the bottom and sides. Put the dough ball back into the bowl and cover it with a damp tea towel, and leave it on the counter for 1 hour

While you are waiting for the dough to rise, prep your pie dish or baking sheet by rubbing olive oil on the bottom and slightly up the sides to prevent sticking. After 1 hour, the dough in the bowl should have risen to about twice its original size. Remove it from the bowl and form it into the dish or baking sheet. Cover it again with the same damp tea towel and let it sit on the counter for another 30 minutes to rise even more

Preheat the oven to 400F

Once the dough has risen for the second time, drizzle it with more olive oil, fresh rosemary, and coarse sea salt. Use your fingertips to gently press into the dough, forming shallow holes about halfway through. Let the olive oil seep into the holes and make sure the rosemary is coated with oil so it doesn’t burn in the oven. Bake it for 20 minutes or until the top is starting to golden

What to serve focaccia bread with

There are endless possibilities when it comes to what to serve focaccia bread with, but here are a few to get you salivating:

• Make a homemade meat sauce and use the focaccia to dip into it
• Slice it through the centre to make sandwich bread with meats, cheeses, egg salad, roasted veggies with hummus, or a fried egg with cheese
• Serve it as a appetizer or with dinner with a side of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping
• Turn it into a pizza crust! Top it with sauce, tomatoes, veggies and cheese and bake it until the cheese melts